Lubricant-cooling attachment for ford engines



Dec. 20, 1927.

E. L. BEEBEE LUBRICANT COOLING ATTACHMENT FOR FORD ENGINES Filed Aug 24. 1925 Patented Dec. 20, 1927.

outrun stares EUGENE 1.. BEEBEE, or POPLAR, MONTANA.

LUBRICANT-COOLING ATTACHMENT FOR FORD ENGINES.

Application filed August 24, 1925. Serial No. 52,105.

The present invention relates to oil cooling attachments for internal combustion engines of automotive vehicles, and relates more particularly to improvements in the lower crank case covers for such engines.

In the operation of certain types of en,

broken away to disclose details; and,

gines wherein the lubricating oil flows over the lower crank case cover on its return to a suitable reservoir, the oil due to the heat of the engine, becomes heated to an appreciable degree thus thinning it to an extent whereby its maximum lubricating quality is lost, and also allowing passage of the oil past the pistons into the combustion chamher of the engine, resulting in loss of the lubricant through burning, and which combustion of the oil .results in the formation of carbon deposits in the combustion cham-' her.

It is therefore a primary object of this invention to provide an effective cooling system for the lubricant of such types of engines as afore referred to, which will act in a manner for retaining the oil much 5 cooler and consequently thicker, thus resulting in better lubricating qualities of the oil and resulting in a material saving of oil consumption in the engine upon which the device is installed.

A further object of the invention. is to rovide an improved crank case lower cover or engines of automotive vehicles, -which is so constructed as to effectively cool the oil'flowing thereover, and which lower cover has associated therewith, a wind deflector so arranged that when the vehicle is in motion, air currents will be directed against and along the bottom of the cover'in a manner for cooling the cover.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved crank case lower cover which is of simple construction, and which may be used as a replacement for the usual crank case lower covers as now employed on certain existing types of engines.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, and

in which drawing Figure 1 is a. fragmentary side view of the forward portion of an automotive vehicle, showing the engine thereof, and showing the invention as applied to the engine;

Figure 2 is an enlarged bottom plan view of the improved cooling device and showing the manner of attachment to the crank case of the engine;

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the device shown attached, and showing portions Figure 4 is a front elevation of the device shown attached. 7

Referring to the drawin in detail, and wherein similar reference (illaracters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views; the letter A designates generally an automotive vehicle, propelled by an internal combustion engine B supported at the forward end of the vehicle as is customary practice. The letter C designates the replacement or improved lower cooling cover adapted for attachment to the under portion of the engine B, and D a wind deflector means adapted for cooperation with the cover C, and which is held in position at the forward portion of the cover by the same bolts which secure the cooling cover to the engine.

The device is primarily designed for use upon motors as used in the well known Ford motor vehicles, and is designed so as to permit of its being used as a replacement for the usual crank case lower cover, as employed upon such motors. It may here be stated that in the lubrication of such motors, the oil is delivered at the forward portion of the engine and then allowed to flow rearwardly over the lower cover, filling the splash troughs, and then returning to the reservoir in the fly whee'l housing where it is again picked up and delivered at the forward end of the engine. The present device aims to materially reduce the temperature of this oil while passing over the lower cover.

Referring particularly to the cooling cover I C, and which is preferably of cast aluminum, the same is preferably of a shape and size to permit of its being substituted for the usual pressed steel crank case lower covgine B. Cast in the cover (3', and extending transversely thereof for. the width of the pan section 5, arethe usual spaced apart splash troughs which extend below the bottom surface of the pan section, and into which the lower ends of the connecting rods of the engine dip for'lubricating purposes.

Cast integral with and at the under surface of the cover C, and extending longitudinally of the cover throughout the length of the pan section 5, is a series of parallel spaced apart fins or ribs 11 of greater depth than the splash troughs 10, thus forming eddy pockets12 between each adjacent fin at'the rear of each of the splash troughs 10. It

' will here be noted that when the vehicle is moving forward, the air currents moving in a rearward path between the longitudinal fins 11 will be retarded in their rearward path of travel and be directed against the under surface'of the pan section 5 by reason of the eddy currents of air created by the eddy pockets 12 at the rear of each splash trough 10. Thus it will be seen that the air currents passing along the fins 11 not only. act for cooling the fins, but are also directed against the under surface of the pan section 5 for direct cooling thereof.

Referring now to the wind deflector means D, and Which'is'preferably disposed at the forward end of the cooling cover O, the same is preferably formed of pressed steel. "This deflector is formed with an inclined del flector plate 13, having vertically extending I side walls 14 at each side thereof provided at their upper ends with outwardly bent flanges 15. Each of the flanges 15 are provided with apertures 16 which are adapted for aligning with the two forward apertures of each of the side flanges 6 of the cover C, and through which aligned apertures the usual cap bolts 17 may pass for threaded'engagement with the crank case 9 in the usual manner. As will be apparent from the drawing, the deflector plate 13 is of a width substantially equal to the pan section 5 of the cover, and that when the deflector D is in position at the forward end of the cover, that the deflector plate 13 inclines in an upward and backward direction in spaced relation below the fins of the cover, and at an angle of inclination to the under surface of the pan section for cooling of the pan, and consequently reducing the temperature of the lubricating oil flowing over the pan.

While in the example shown, the deflector D has been illustrated as being separate from the cover C for the purpose of simplifying the construction of the device, it is to be understood that if so desired, the members G and D may be formed as an integral body without departing from the characteristic features of the invention. It will also be stated that while it is desirable to employ the deflector D for cooperation with the cover C in order to ,obtain the maximum cooling of the lubricant, that if so desired, the members may be used independently of one another, and that when the members C and D are used together, certain of the fastening bolts 17 for the cover, pass through the flanges of the deflector.

From the foregoing description of thisinvention it will be apparent that an extremely simple and eflicient oil cooling attachment for engines has been provided and which may be used as a replacement. for the usual crank. case lower covers of certain types of engines.

Various changes may be made to the specific form of the invention herein shown and described, without departing from the spirit of the invention, or the scope of the claims.

I' claim 1 1. An oil cooling attachment for engines, comprising a crank case lower cover provided at its under surface with a series of longitudinally extending fins and a deflector arranged adjacent one end of the cover for directing air currents longitudinally between said fins and upwardly upon the under external surface of the cover.

2. In combination with an engine embodying a crank case lower cover having outturned marginal flanges provided with a series of apertures for alignment wit-h threaded apertures in the engine crank case, a deflector having outturned flanges formed at each'side thereof provided with apertures registering with certain of the apertures in the flanges of the cover, and retaining bolts for securing the cover and deflector to the engine crank case with certain of said bolts passing through both the. cover and de- 3. In combination with a vehicle comprising an engine embodying a lubricating system, a cooling attachment for said luhrieating system comprising a lower. cover plate forming a closure for the crank case of the engine and over which plate the tion in spaced relation below the under suroutwardly bent attaching flanges, said side face of the cover plate. walls being of greater height at one end of 4. As an article of manufacture, a sheet the deflector plate than at the other, for 1 metal deflector for crank case lower covers disposing the deflector plate at an angle to 5 comprising a deflector plate having upthe plane of the attaching flanges.

wardly extending side walls at each side thereof terminating at their upper ends in EUGENT L. BEEBEE. 

